What You've Missed
by WindowChild
Summary: Thalia and Annabeth talk, the night after Thalia is resurrected.


Camp felt quiet. It was late, after all. Everyone had been ushered back to their cabins, and from the looks of it was finally asleep. Annabeth was glad. She felt so sick of everyone gasping and making a fuss, when they had no idea what this meant.

For a moment, when she'd finally had a chance to think, Annabeth almost forgave fate. Sure, they'd taken Luke, and made her life an endless circle of pain and battle, but they gave her back Thalia. After all these years, even. It came close to making up for the chains of disaster. But no… not quite. If fate had really been kind, they never would have taken Thalia at all.

Annabeth sighed, continuing to sit in the plastic-backed chair. She didn't want to focus on that, though. She didn't want something so amazing to bring out her resentments; it wouldn't be right.

Besides Chiron, who was deliberating with Mr. D in the hall, she was the only one still with Thalia. Nobody besides Grover was old enough to have known her, and she had finally shooed he and Percy away a couple of hours ago. Percy wanted to meet Thalia, she knew, but she couldn't let him just yet. It would be too overwhelming, and her sense of comprehension was growing more fragile by the second.

Thalia was asleep, for the moment. Pleasantly back in the throws of life, unaware of the news Annabeth would bare for her. Luke was gone. The age of the gods was threatened. She'd missed so much, and it seemed so unfair that she find out all at once. Chiron had insisted though. He said it wouldn't be good if they delayed it.

Annabeth knew that he was right, of course, but she still dreaded delivering the information. All she wanted was a few days to adjust, and she knew that telling Thalia of Luke's betrayal would take that away from her.

The last time they'd seen each other, Luke had been the backbone supporting them both. Before that it had been only he and Thalia, and after only he and Annabeth. The only moments that Annabeth had spent alone with her friend were from years ago, and Annabeth could only remember the fuzzy outlines of them. She'd been young, and all she had really known was that Thalia was someone she could trust. She'd thought Luke was too, of course, but that didn't matter anymore.

"You're awake," she said, smiling slightly. "Good. We were getting worried."

Thalia grinned, propping herself up on the bed. "Sorry, about that. Gods, I've forgotten how good it feels to sleep."

"I know what you mean," Annabeth replied. Her muscles ached as she spoke the words; she hadn't slept since their quest.

Thalia raised her eyebrows, sliding over to make room for Annabeth on the bed. "Yeah, I heard about that. Care to fill me in?"

The perfect segue. And yet Annabeth still couldn't bring herself to tell the story. "Maybe tomorrow, okay? You don't deserve to hear something that stressful on your first night back."

Thalia gave a light laugh. "Geez, alright. Now I'm intrigued, though." She paused, smiling to herself. "They have to do with that Percy guy, right?"

Annabeth nodded. "Yeah. You remember seeing him?"

She shrugged. "He was with me for a little while, I remember that. Is he nice?"

"I guess so." She was deliberately evasive, remembering how well Thalia could read her.

Thalia looked at her pointedly for a moment, but didn't speak. Even having missed a large piece of Annabeth's life, she knew enough not to push her. Annabeth had always kept a large amount of things to herself.

"It's really weird," she said at last, her voice taking on a nostalgic tone. "Seeing you so… tall and everything. You're taller than me, I think."

Annabeth grinned, in spite of herself. "I never thought that would happen."

"No fair, though. You've had a while to catch up." She grimaced. "Am I really only… two years older than you?" They'd told her this, as speculation, although apparently no one was sure.

Annabeth's expression flipped over, turning to one of sadness. "Yeah, we think you are."

"I'm sorry," Thalia said gently, "I know it must have been hard for you guys."

"It was," Annabeth replied, honestly. She'd never forget that day. "But we got through it together." She said the last part purposely, forcing herself to prompt Thalia. If she didn't tell her in the next few minutes, she knew she never would.

Thalia nodded. "I'm glad. I knew you would." She glanced around then, as Annabeth knew she would. "Hey, where is he anyway? I can't believe I haven't seen him yet." Annabeth stared at the cotton sheets, her heart stuck in her throat. She was sure that she'd choke if she tried to speak. "Annabeth?" Thalia said, noticing her twisted expression. "Are you okay?"

Annabeth forced the muscles in her neck to twist, giving a shake of her head. "No," she said at last, her voice hoarse and nearly inaudible.

"Why?" Thalia asked, concerned. "Where is he?"

"He's not here, Thalia," Annabeth said, glancing tentatively at her friend.

"What do you mean –" she cut off abruptly, her face pale, "Oh my Gods, Annabeth, he's - ?!"

"No," Annabeth said flatly, surprising herself by the lack of emotion. "Not that."

Thalia relaxed, her newly awakened face returning to its normal state. "Well, okay then. Where is he?"

Annabeth took a deep breath and shut her eyes. She'd say it as if she was only talking to herself. "He betrayed us. Last year, he left and joined forces with Kronos. I know what you think," she said, assuming Thalia's interruption, "But they're joining forces and trying to take down Olympus. " She stopped, not including any of the more emotional details. Thalia didn't need to hear them, at least not yet.

Annabeth gave herself a few more seconds, and then opened her eyelids. Rather than looking at Thalia, she slid her hand through hers, the way she'd once done when they were younger. Even without seeing her, Annabeth could tell that Thalia was shaking. She felt terribly sad; the shock was probably too much for her first night back.

"How – how long ago?" Thalia asked, after a few moments had gone by. Her voice was rough, but steady.

"Last summer," Annabeth repeated. "He almost killed Percy." She sounded far away, not really listening to what she was saying.

Thalia nodded, but didn't say anything else. Annabeth couldn't blame her, there wasn't much one could say about it. The two sat in silence, their cheerful catching up cut short. Oddly enough, this is what made Annabeth saddest. She had wanted their reunion to be a happy memory for her.

But maybe it could be anyway, she thought at last. The first page of their new friendship; of one where they were closer in age. Annabeth squeezed Thalia's hand tightly, deciding that for once she'd be the one with all the answers. That was the price one paid for growing up.


End file.
